<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>jinxed by correias</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26217676">jinxed</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/correias/pseuds/correias'>correias</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VII Remake (Video Game 2020)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Accidental Cuddling, Awkwardness, Comfort, Fluff, Multi, Pining, Sharing a Bed, Tending to Wounds, Unresolved Romantic Tension, no y/n</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 09:34:27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>6,896</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26217676</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/correias/pseuds/correias</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>You knew Cloud didn't like getting close to people, but he didn't have much of a choice when he was forced to share a bed with you.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Cloud Strife/Reader</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>323</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>jinxed</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>uhh so in the middle of writing a 20+ chapter reno fic, i got awful writer's block and suddenly got inspiration to write a lil one shot for our sweet boy cloud &lt;3</p><p>i hope this isn't too ooc !</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The sun was beginning to set, casting a warm, topaz glow over the barren landscape. For how long had you been walking now? Outside of Midgar, there weren’t many distinguishable landmarks to tell you where you were, only a few small towns amongst what was mostly empty space. It felt as if you were passing through an endless loop of <i>nothingness.</i> You could only hope you’d fine a safe spot to spend the night soon.</p><p> </p><p>How you had ended up entangled in this insane rollercoaster of an adventure, you didn’t know. All the fighting and constantly being on the move was entirely foreign to you until now. You weren’t the leader of an eco-terrorist organisation, an ex-SOLDIER or some bizarre, talking <i>lab rat dog.</i> You were just... <i>you.</i></p><p> </p><p>Your feet dragged along the ground as you forced yourself to walk, every part of your body aching and burning in protest. While you weren’t accustomed to combat before, you had been forced to put your strength to the test when Cloud and you were separated from the others after a run-in with the Turks. Fights weren’t so bad when you had the human shield that was Barret to hide behind whilst you kept the others up with your raw healing power, but once it was just you and the mercenary, things began to get a hell of a lot tougher.</p><p> </p><p>Looking down at your skin littered with cuts and bruises, you bit your tongue to stop yourself hissing in pain. There was a particularly nasty gash on the back of your leg that stung horribly, only having stopped bleeding when you wrapped your fabric headband around it to put pressure on it. Even so, it was killing you to walk on that leg. You just prayed you wouldn’t have any more encounters with monsters. </p><p> </p><p>Cloud had noticed the pained look on your face, offering to carry you until you found somewhere safe to spend the night. Of course, you refused, already feeling like enough of a burden after he had saved you countless times in battle. To your relief, he wasn’t persistent, but his silence had you wondering if he was annoyed at how much you were holding him back. </p><p> </p><p>“Over there.”</p><p> </p><p>Cloud’s sudden words had you reaching for the weapon on your back, thinking he’d spotted another pack of monsters. You followed his eyeline, not finding what you were expecting. Instead, you spotted a silhouette of something in the distance. It made sense that Cloud saw it before you — mako enhancements and all. Squinting, you took a couple steps forward to get a closer look, managing to make out what looked like a building with a large, flashing sign right next to it.</p><p> </p><p>“What do you think it is?”</p><p> </p><p>Cloud didn’t spare you a glance when you spoke, keeping his eyes trained on the building. “Could be an inn.”</p><p> </p><p>“Because of the sign,” you finished for him, “right?”</p><p> </p><p>He nodded. “Gonna take us a while to get there. You wanna check it out?”</p><p> </p><p>Your legs were begging you to stop walking, but the chance of a good night’s sleep was keeping you motivated.</p><p> </p><p>“Yeah,” you replied, stepping forward a little quicker than you intended. Searing pain shot up through your injured leg, a hiss escaping your grit teeth. You doubled over, both hands going to the gash in your skin. Peeling back the headband wrapped around it, you saw just how deep it was now that the blood had mostly dried up. You’d need to clean it soon before it got infected.</p><p> </p><p>Your name left Cloud’s lips in a tone that almost sounded like a warning. You lifted your head to look at him, noticing the half-irritated, half-concerned look he was giving you. Not wanting to be any more of a dead weight than you already were, you pulled the fabric back over the wound, waving your hand flippantly.</p><p> </p><p>“It’s just a scratch.”</p><p> </p><p>“Doesn’t look like it,” the blonde responded, crossing his arms. “I can carry you.”</p><p> </p><p>“I’m fine,” you insisted, shaking your head.</p><p> </p><p>“Suit yourself. But if we run into any trouble, you stay behind me. Got it?”</p><p> </p><p>A small smile tugged at the corners of your lips. There was something endearing in how he was ordering you around, but only for your own good. Being the quietest pair in the group, it was only natural that you and Cloud had formed a mutual understanding between each other without even needing words. You managed to pick up on what his mannerisms and facial expressions meant, and vice versa. The only downside to that being you could tell he could read you like a book, even if he didn’t say it.</p><p> </p><p>“Understood.”</p><p> </p><p>Once you set off again, you took notice of the way Cloud had slowed down much more than he usually would. You were used to him jogging ahead, eager to get to his destination or to fight whichever enemy awaited you. Instead, he stayed just in front of you, taking slow, deliberate steps. He’d turn his head back to ask you if you were okay, sparing a glance at your leg occasionally. Despite the pain you were in, you found yourself thinking that being alone with the ex-SOLDIER was surprisingly <i>nice.</i> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Just as the moon began to shine from behind the clouds, the orange hues of the sky turning to a deep blue, the flashing sign next to the building finally began to come into view. You were unable to help the excited gasp that left you when you realised it <i>was</i> in fact an inn. Oh, the thought of a good night’s sleep in a warm, comfy bed was simply irresistible.</p><p> </p><p>“<i>Please</i> have spare rooms,” you whispered.</p><p> </p><p>Cloud hummed in agreement. “It’s pretty small. Hope it’s not a busy night for them.”</p><p> </p><p>The two of you made your way to the inn, your pace slightly quicker than before, without a doubt spurred on by your discovery. Although small, the place didn’t seem sketchy or run-down at all. You were glad.</p><p> </p><p>Once Cloud and you stepped inside, warmth enveloped your body and you involuntarily shivered. The lady at the reception desk took notice of your slightly dishevelled appearances, though she still greeted you with a kind smile and a wave.</p><p> </p><p>“Welcome! Do you have a booking?”</p><p> </p><p>You let Cloud do the talking, since he was the one with the Gil.</p><p> </p><p>“Uh... no,” he answered.</p><p> </p><p>“Oh, that’s okay! We are a little short on rooms at the moment, though. Are you wanting a room with a double bed?”</p><p> </p><p>Your eyes widened. Cloud’s body visibly stiffened, the merc clearly taken aback by the lady’s question. It wasn’t the question itself which evoked such responses from the two of you, but rather what it insinuated. You watched his Adam’s apple bob when he swallowed hard, mouth opening to form a response.</p><p> </p><p>“O-oh, we’re not...” he mumbled, bringing his gloved hand up to scratch the back of his neck awkwardly.</p><p> </p><p>“Oh, my goodness! I’m so sorry for assuming!” the lady apologised, her cheeks turning red. “Well, unfortunately, we don’t have any rooms with single beds left. Just the doubles.”</p><p> </p><p>“How much is a double room?” Cloud asked.</p><p> </p><p>“500 Gil.”</p><p> </p><p>Cloud turned his head to look at you, though his eyes were barely meeting yours.</p><p> </p><p>“I’ve only got 800.”</p><p> </p><p>You knew what he meant by that. He didn’t have enough for you to have a room each, meaning you’d have to share in a room with only one bed. That usually wouldn’t have been a problem when your entire group was with you, but something felt a lot more awkward knowing it was going to be just you and Cloud alone.</p><p> </p><p>“It’s fine,” you said in response, trying to hide your embarrassment.</p><p> </p><p>“You sure?” You could see the light flush on his cheeks when you nodded, and he turned back to the lady, digging into his pocket for the Gil. “Double room just for tonight, then.”</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>If things weren’t already awkward before, it got ten times worse once the two of you entered your allocated room. A thick silence enveloped both of you. Cloud idled in place for a few moments, before he made himself look busy by going to look around the room. You took your weapon off your back, placing it by the door as you closed it behind you. The room was on the small side, but was pristine, lacking any dust or dirt on the surfaces. You opened the nearby closet, finding spare clothes, towels and blankets. At least you’d be able to change.</p><p> </p><p>Cloud disappeared into the en suite bathroom off to the side. There was a small television opposite the bed. You turned it on, hoping for a little background noise. Scrolling through the little channels it had, you eventually settled on some kid’s cartoons.</p><p> </p><p>Turning on your good leg, you looked at the double bed before you. Your arm outstretched, running your fingers over the soft white sheets. A sigh pushed past your lips, and, unable to keep yourself standing any longer, you sat down onto the end of the bed. The mattress sunk beneath you, so comfy it almost felt like you were sitting on a cloud. <i>Ah, maybe not the best analogy...</i></p><p> </p><p>The ex-SOLDIER emerged from the bathroom, clutching some sort of box in his hand. He looked over at you, then at the television. He raised a judging brow at your choice of what to watch, though didn’t comment on it. His arm lifted to show you the box in his hand, and you quickly recognised the symbol on it.</p><p> </p><p>“Found this,” he stated.</p><p> </p><p>Taking the box from his hand, you set it into your lap, opening it up. Inside, it contained everything you’d expect to find in a first aid kit — and everything you needed to take care of the nasty gash on your leg. You smiled thankfully at the blonde.</p><p> </p><p>“Thanks. This should help a lot.” You set the box aside, reaching down to pull off your shoes. </p><p> </p><p>Cloud didn’t move from where he was standing. It seemed he had something else to say. You glanced up at him expectantly as you pulled your other shoe off, setting the pair onto the floor.</p><p> </p><p>“You can have the bed.” His eyes were focused on anything but you when he spoke.</p><p> </p><p>You frowned. “What about you?”</p><p> </p><p>“Floor’s fine,” he shrugged, kicking the toe of his boot against the carpet.</p><p> </p><p>“That... doesn’t seem fair,” you said, a pit of guilt forming in your stomach. </p><p> </p><p>“‘Course it is. You’ll heal up quicker if you take the bed.”</p><p> </p><p>“Cloud...” you mumbled.</p><p> </p><p>He raised his chin to look at you, straight-faced as always. Cloud often seemed to be the one taking the floor, giving some matter-of-fact reason why it was better for one of the others to have the bed. Changing his mind was next to impossible; he was ridiculously stubborn when he wanted to be. So, you opted to send him a smile instead of trying to argue, mouthing the words, “thank you”. Looking away, he nodded, lifting his sword from his back and placing it down next to your own weapon. </p><p> </p><p>Knowing you couldn’t put it off all day, you reached down to your leg. Carefully pulling the hairband that was wrapped around your wound down, you took in a sharp breath through your teeth, trying to not get freaked out at the sight of your own blood. You slipped the band off your leg, setting it aside, then lifted your leg onto the bed to get better access. Now that you got a better look at it, you could see it wasn’t as deep as you originally thought, and it’d heal on its own without stitches. You breathed a sigh of relief, taking a piece of cloth from the first aid kit. </p><p> </p><p>“Cloud?” you said the merc’s name, glancing up from your leg. He was taking out a pillow from the closet, some blankets already hanging over his arm. He tilted his head towards you as if to ask what was up. You held out the cloth towards him. “Would you mind wetting this with some warm water? Please?”</p><p> </p><p>Humming in response, he stepped closer to you placing what he had found down on the bed. He extended a hand, taking the cloth from you. His leather-clad fingers brushed against your bare ones as he did so, the feeling almost sending a shiver up your spine. Wordlessly, he turned, heading for the bathroom. You did nothing but wait, listening to the sound of the running water and the cheery voices on the television, before Cloud returned, handing the now damp cloth back to you. </p><p> </p><p>“Thanks,” you smiled, eyes returning to your leg. </p><p> </p><p>You began to try cleaning it, though the angle the wound was at made it difficult. It was hard to twist your leg in a way that you could clean it properly without hurting yourself more. Unable to help yourself, you released an aggravated sigh. The sound caught Cloud’s attention. You felt his mako eyes on you, making you look up at him. There was a conflicted look on his face, like he wanted to get something out but his mouth wouldn’t let him.</p><p> </p><p>Raising a brow, you asked, “What’s up?”</p><p> </p><p>“I could...” he began, finding interest in the ceiling. “I’ll help. If you’d like.”</p><p> </p><p>Your stomach fluttered. You weren’t sure why you felt so flustered upon hearing his words, but the soft dusting of magenta over his cheeks made you feel like you weren’t the only flustered one. Without answering him, you moved backwards on the bed to make room, letting your actions do the talking for you. Cloud moved towards you carefully, almost as if he was afraid to step out of line. He took his time climbing onto the bed so he could sit next to you, reaching around you to pull the first aid kit closer to himself.</p><p> </p><p>“You know how to do this?” you questioned, passing the cloth into his hands.</p><p> </p><p>“You know what I used to be?” Cloud responded in an almost snarky tone. However, when you looked at him with wide eyes, there was the slightest of a curve to his lips. A hint of a smile.</p><p> </p><p>You shook your head at your own stupidity. “Right.”</p><p> </p><p>You watched in silence as Cloud began to pull his gloves off — you figured it was probably because his bare hands were cleaner. You couldn’t help but stare at his soft-looking milky skin when he placed his gloves aside. All the time you’d been with the gang, you’d never seen Cloud without his gloves on. It was odd that it intrigued you, you knew that, but it was almost as if the garments were a part of that shield he had up. And he had lowered it, just for you.</p><p> </p><p>“Might be easier if you,” Cloud paused for a moment, his bright eyes darting away from yours, “uh, lay on your stomach.”</p><p> </p><p><i>Oh, right.</i> That made sense. You complied, flipping yourself over so that you did as he suggested, glad you were facing the television and not him. You heard him shuffle next to you, before he placed the cloth against your skin, swiping it around your cut. He was so gentle it surprised you — the only other time he ever touched you was usually to pull you out of harm’s way, and he always gripped onto you a bit tighter than necessary when that happened.</p><p> </p><p>As he continued to swipe away the blood and dirt from your wound, you felt the light brush of his fingers against your leg, just under the wound. They retracted for a moment, then you felt his free hand lay flat onto your leg. His skin was just as you expected: soft and warm. You swallowed hard. It was a simple touch; it shouldn’t have bothered you as much as it did, yet you found yourself feeling rather flustered. <i>Honestly, who could blame you?</i> Cloud was just <i>so cool</i>  when he wasn’t being awkward, not to mention the bonus that was his good looks.</p><p> </p><p>Being far too deep in thought, you didn’t notice the man had swapped the cloth for a cotton pad doused in rubbing alcohol, and, without warning, got to work on applying it directly onto your cut. Feeling the sudden burning in your leg, your body involuntarily jerked, an embarrassing yelp escaping your mouth. Cloud retracted both his hands from your leg, startled. </p><p> </p><p>“S-sorry,” he quickly apologised.</p><p> </p><p>You turned your head to look back at him, meeting wide, mako-infused eyes. The alcohol continued to seep into the gash, though the pain slowly decreased with each second. Pursing your lips together, you adjusted to the pain, then shot a thumbs up at Cloud to reassure him.</p><p> </p><p>“It’s fine!” you squeaked. “Just surprised me, that’s all.”</p><p> </p><p>“Probably should’ve warned you.” Cloud glanced from your face, back to your leg again. “I need to rub some more in. That okay?”</p><p> </p><p>“Mm-hmm!” you nodded, probably a little more enthusiastically than necessary, turning away from him so you could squeeze your eyes shut.</p><p> </p><p>He returned the pad to your leg, the pain increasing once more. Your leg twitched, threatening to jerk again, but his free hand returned to its spot from before, pressing your leg down so you wouldn’t move it. At first, you were stiff, both from the pain and his touch, but you soon found yourself relaxing, glad you didn’t have to do it yourself. </p><p> </p><p>Before long, Cloud had pressed some gauze roll to your now cleaned wound, before sticking it in place with some medical tape. The pain was gone, and you were beginning to think the ex-SOLDIER might’ve been a better healer than you were. <i>No fair.</i></p><p> </p><p>Rolling onto your back, you sat up to face him.</p><p> </p><p>“Is there anything you can’t do?”</p><p> </p><p>You didn’t miss the way the corners of his lips turned upwards, if only for a second, before he replied, “It’s nothing.”</p><p> </p><p>Leaning back on your hands, you tilted your head at him, pouting. “You don’t have to be so modest.”</p><p> </p><p>“I’m not.” Cloud shrugged. He paused, eyes falling to the palms of his hands. “There’s some things I can’t do.”</p><p> </p><p>If you said you weren’t intrigued, you would’ve been lying. You noticed the way he fidgeted with his fingers, eyebrows knitting together. You knew better than to rush him, opting to simply lean in and wait for him to continue. It took him a few moments, but you could tell he was ready to speak when he let out a sigh, though his gaze remained on his hands.</p><p> </p><p>“Can’t talk to people,” he began, his tone soft, almost as if he was unsure of himself. He clenched and unclenched his fists in the material of his pants. “I can, but I’m not good at it.”</p><p> </p><p>You gave him a moment, waiting for him to continue. When he didn’t, you outstretched a hand, so desperately wanting to place it on his thigh to comfort him, even take his own hands to stop him clenching them, but all you could do was let it fall onto the bed, just in front of where his legs rested. Maybe if you had the confidence that Aerith or Tifa had, you would’ve been able to make such a bold move. But you weren’t Aerith or Tifa, you were just plain old <i>you.</i></p><p> </p><p>Even so, Cloud looked up when he saw the way your hand moved. Now, his gaze was focused on your hand rather than his, his reluctancy to meet your eyes still apparent.</p><p> </p><p>“I think you do just fine,” you managed to say.</p><p> </p><p>“You don’t think I’m too blunt?”</p><p> </p><p>“You <i>are</i> blunt,” you smiled. Cloud’s eyes finally snapped up to meet yours, his lips parting slightly. “But I like it. It makes you real. Besides, not everything is about words, you know.”</p><p> </p><p>His brows furrowed. “What do you mean?”</p><p> </p><p>“Sometimes actions mean more.” You pointed to your leg, hoping he’d understand what you were trying to say.</p><p> </p><p>“<i>Oh,</i>” he nodded, his eyes softening.</p><p> </p><p>Smiling at him, you couldn’t help but lose yourself in those ocean hues of his. He held your gaze for a few moments, though to you it felt like some blissful eternity, before clearing his throat. The sound brought you from your daze, the realisation that whatever feelings you had for him, you needed to forget about them. Shuffling away from you, Cloud hopped off the bed.</p><p> </p><p>“Gonna shower,” he stated, facing away from you as he grabbed some of the spare clothes and a towel from the closet.</p><p> </p><p>“Okay.”</p><p> </p><p>You stared at his back as he walked into the bathroom. Once he’d closed the door behind him, you gave a sigh, falling onto your back to stare at the ceiling. <i>Get it together.</i> There were bigger things to worry about than you feeling soft for Cloud Strife. Saving the world, for example. Besides, there was no way he’d reciprocate whatever it was you felt for him. With how many people he already had swooning over him, you were sure you wouldn’t even be in his top five choices. And even then, Cloud didn’t seem much interested in that type of thing.</p><p> </p><p>Fingers raking through your hair, you sat back up, hoping to find something to distract yourself from your thoughts. Your eyes landed on the blankets and pillow that Cloud was going to use for his makeshift bed. Now that you thought about it, you did owe him for helping clean your wound... </p><p> </p><p>You came to a stand, grabbing a couple of the pillows from your bed. After all, did you really need <i>that</i> many? Then, you placed one blanket on the floor as a base, followed by the pillows, and then another blanket on top. You made sure to make it look as comfy and cosy as possible. He deserved that, at the very least.</p><p> </p><p>When you were done, you returned to your spot on the bed, passing the time by watching cartoons until Cloud walked back into the room. He wasn’t wearing his usual attire, instead dressed in sweatpants and a dark, loose shirt. Any trace of dirt on his skin had now vanished, and you could now smell the faint scent of whatever shower gel he had used. The thing that had you staring, though, was his hair. It was darker than usual from the water, droplets clinging to the ends and falling onto the towel around his neck. Its usual style had gone, replaced with droopy spikes rather than all standing up. The way some of it hung over the front of his face was kind of adorable, and you had to force your eyes away. </p><p> </p><p>“You didn’t have to do that,” the merc said when he saw you’d laid out his place to sleep on the floor.</p><p> </p><p>“<i>It’s nothing,</i>” you answered, mimicking the cool tone he always spoke with, a playful grin on your lips.</p><p> </p><p>“Hey.” Cloud narrowed his eyes at you, though you could tell he was holding back a smile.</p><p> </p><p>“You helped me, so I help you.” Before you could stop yourself, you added, “That’s what friends do.”</p><p> </p><p>A soft, barely audible gasp left the man. He stared over at you, wide eyed. Realising what you’d said, you felt your cheeks turn red, putting your head down to hide your face. <i>Why did you have to assume things?</i> He barely even spoke to you, why would he consider you—</p><p> </p><p>“We’re friends?”</p><p> </p><p>The question made your heart rate accelerate. Head still down, you responded, “I mean, I don’t know, I, uh... I guess I’d like to be b-but if you don’t wanna—”</p><p> </p><p>“It’s fine,” the blonde interrupted your pitiable stuttering, and you raised your head to look at him, eyebrows going upwards in surprise. “Friends sounds good.”</p><p> </p><p>You were unable to help the smile that rushed to your lips.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>After washing up yourself and taking a quick trip to the vending machines outside for some snacks, it didn’t take long for the sun to set entirely, sleepiness beginning to kick in. Cloud had already taken his place on the floor, propping his head up with an arm under his pillow to watch the television. When you finally climbed into bed, your fatigue hit you all at once. Your head dropped onto the pillow, every muscle in your body feeling euphoric as you sank down into the bed. Not even having the energy to watch the TV, you pushed yourself up on your arms to look at Cloud.</p><p> </p><p>“I’m gonna call it a night,” you informed him.</p><p> </p><p>“Okay.” Even in the dim illumination of the room, his eyes shone.</p><p> </p><p>“Goodnight, Cloud,” you said as you laid back down, turning onto your side.</p><p> </p><p>“Night.”</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Being a light sleeper was a SOLDIER thing, Cloud had once mentioned. That meant the smallest of sounds would wake him during the night, and he’d always be the first to rise in the morning. What you didn’t realise, though, that when he <i>was</i> sleeping, it was far from sweet dreams for him.</p><p> </p><p>So, when you found yourself sitting up in the middle of the night, staring at a sleeping, yet clearly distraught Cloud, you had no idea what to do. His heavy breathing and grunting had been what woke you. When you brought up the courage to peek at him, he was visibly sweating, brows knit together and teeth gritting. It looked like he was in pain, or distressed — maybe both. It felt like you’d been staring at him for ages, not in a creepy way, but rather a <i>‘what the hell am I supposed to do’</i> way. It was clear he was having a nightmare of some sort, but what if he got embarrassed if you decided to wake him? Was it even your <i>place</i> to wake him? </p><p> </p><p>“M-Mom?” Cloud suddenly whimpered, voice breaking.</p><p> </p><p>Your breath caught in your chest as you stared down at him, catching the way his bottom lip wobbled. Time felt like it stopped when his breathing went from heavy, yet steady, to completely erratic and shaky. Hopping off the bed, you slowly approached his sleeping form, crouching down next to him. Up close, you could make out tears forming at the corners of his closed eyes. <i>He was crying.</i> You felt your heart break for him. Whatever he was dreaming of was enough to crack the usually stoic man’s demeanour, so it had to be something awful.</p><p> </p><p>You didn’t hesitate any longer, reaching out and placing a hand on his shoulder. <i>Shit, he was boiling!</i></p><p> </p><p>Giving him a light shake, you whispered, “Cloud. <i>Cloud</i>. Wake up.”</p><p> </p><p>His breathing calmed, your words surely reaching his unconscious self. However, he didn’t wake. You sighed. You’d have to be a little firmer in your attempts to wake him, but you were afraid to startle him.</p><p> </p><p>“C’mon, Cloud.” You put your other hand on his opposite shoulder, shaking both at once. “Wake up!”</p><p> </p><p>“No!”</p><p> </p><p>The next few seconds happened faster than you could even comprehend. One moment, you were crouching next to him, and the next, his shout had made you jump out of your skin, causing you to freeze up entirely. His strong hands had grabbed your wrists, removing your hands from his shoulders. Then, he flipped you over onto your back with ease, pinning your wrists above your head, holding them tightly enough to bruise. He climbed over you, and the look in his eyes shot fear through you. Anger, no, <i>hatred</i> burned in his ocean hues. He didn’t say anything, just glared, breathing heavy, but it was almost as if he was looking <i>through</i> you, like he wasn’t entirely conscious.</p><p> </p><p>Unable to move anything but your mouth, you spoke, “C-Cloud!”</p><p> </p><p>“... Won’t let you... hurt anyone else...” he muttered, his forehead glinting with a visible layer of sweat. </p><p> </p><p>You wiggled against his tight grip, quickly realising who he was seeing. “Cloud, it’s me! I’m <i>not him!</i>” When he pressed down on your wrists harder, you panicked, your words coming out in a squeak. “We’re <i>friends,</i> remember?”</p><p> </p><p>His eyes widened. And only then was he truly looking at you. His eyes darted everywhere; back and forth between your own eyes, the recognition dawning on him, to his body trapping yours below him, then to his arms. Your name tumbled from his lips, a confused murmur.</p><p> </p><p>You nodded, trying not to show on your face that he was hurting you. “It’s me, Cloud. I’m here.”</p><p> </p><p>The grip on your wrists was instantly gone. He opened his mouth, a look of horror and shame on his face, shooting up to his feet, taking far too many steps backwards.</p><p> </p><p>“S-sorry! I thought you were—”</p><p> </p><p>Slowly, you rose to a stand, holding your hands in front of you.</p><p> </p><p>“It’s okay, you’re okay,” your voice was soft as you spoke your words of comfort, stepping closer to him.</p><p> </p><p>Even in the dark of the room, Cloud could see the red marks on your wrists. He frowned, eyes falling to the floor. You continued to approach him until you were less than a foot away.</p><p> </p><p>“You were having a bad dream, I think. So I tried to wake you.”</p><p> </p><p>Cloud remained silent, eyes beginning to harden as he stared at the floor. That hard exterior of his returning as quickly as it disappeared.</p><p> </p><p>“Do you want to talk about it?” you asked, tilting your head at him despite already knowing the answer.</p><p> </p><p>As you expected, he shook his head, pressing his lips together into a firm line. </p><p> </p><p>“Okay.” You offered him a warm smile. “I’m sorry if I frightened you.”</p><p> </p><p>Cloud’s head raised so he could shoot you a puzzled look. “Why apologise? It’s my fault.”</p><p> </p><p>“Please don’t blame yourself. You had no control over it.”</p><p> </p><p>“But I—”</p><p> </p><p>“Cloud. It wasn’t your fault.” You stepped back from him, hopping back onto the bed. “We should rest up.”</p><p> </p><p>The mercenary stayed in place for a moment, seemingly facing some internal conflict. Curiously watching him, you cocked your head to one side, wondering what was going on in that complex head of his. He glanced over at you, barely meeting your eyes. </p><p> </p><p>“You’re not freaked out?”</p><p> </p><p>You gave a soft chuckle and shook your head. “No, why would I be? Are you?”</p><p> </p><p>“A little.”</p><p> </p><p>His sudden honesty caught you off guard. “Oh, um... well, why don’t you go get some fresh air or something?”</p><p> </p><p>Cloud released a deep breath. He took a step closer to the bed, staring down at his hands.</p><p> </p><p>“Actually, there’s something else... I want to do.”</p><p> </p><p>“What is it?”</p><p> </p><p>“Could I get in the bed?” His eyes refused to meet yours as he asked the question, his embarrassment clear as day.</p><p> </p><p>Your lips parted in surprise before you quickly nodded, shuffling to the edge of the bed and throwing your legs off the side. You wanted him to have the bed in the first place, so you didn’t at all mind swapping with him.</p><p> </p><p>“W-wait!” Cloud stopped you, hand jerking out as if he wanted to grab you but was afraid to. He closed his eyes a moment, seemingly bracing himself for something. You watched his shoulders rise and fall as he breathed in and out, and when his eyes opened again, he was looking directly at you, something akin to determination sparkling in them. “I meant with you.”</p><p> </p><p>Your heart could’ve stopped right then and there. He didn’t just ask you what you thought he asked you... <i>right?</i> You blinked at him, waiting for a punchline even though you knew he wasn’t at all one for jokes.</p><p> </p><p>“You want to get in the bed... with me?” you asked, just to check you hadn’t lost it.</p><p> </p><p>“That’s what I said, isn’t it?” His tone said confidence, but you could tell by his eyes he was unsure of himself.</p><p> </p><p>“Oh, um, yeah, go ahead.”</p><p> </p><p>You clambered back into the bed, making room for him on one side. Cloud grabbed some of his pillows from the floor, returning them to the bed. Then, he got in, and you felt the tug of the sheets as he pulled them over himself. You watched him carefully, making sure you weren’t too close to him. He stared at the ceiling, his body completely straight, almost rigid. The only sound in the room was his soft breathing, along with your own. Your teeth went to your lip, nibbling at the skin. Even though you claimed you weren’t freaked out, you kind of were, but it was more because you were worried about him. You weren’t sure you wanted to go asleep before him, fearing he’d have another nightmare. </p><p> </p><p>“Sorry about your wrists,” Cloud broke the silence, eyes still on the ceiling.</p><p> </p><p>“I told you, it wasn’t your fault.” You glanced down at them, noticing the redness had already gone. Pushing your arm out, you held it above his face to show him. “And it didn’t even hurt. See?”</p><p> </p><p>He looked over at you, frowning. “Only because you stopped me. Could’ve broke something.”</p><p> </p><p>“Well, you didn’t,” you snapped, “so forget about it.”</p><p> </p><p>“But—”</p><p> </p><p>“You should try to get some sleep.”</p><p> </p><p>“Fine,” he huffed.</p><p> </p><p>You grinned, happy he let you win. There was no way you’d let him feel bad about something he couldn’t control. Besides, if you thought you saw <i>him,</i> you would’ve done the same, if not worse.</p><p> </p><p>Cloud closed his eyes and turned over onto his side. You copied him, laying so that you were facing his back, your own eyes fluttering to a close within minutes.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Sunlight leaked through the blinds, pressing against your eyelids, causing you to stir. Yawning softly, you opened your eyes, the bright light almost making your eyes water. To shield your eyes, you buried your face into the dark material in front of you. You snuggled closer, happy to just go back to sleep a little longer. </p><p> </p><p><i>Hang on, weren’t the bedsheets... white?</i> Your eyes shot open this time. Only then did it dawn on you that your arms were clutching onto Cloud’s torso, your face buried in the back of his shirt. One of your legs was entwined between his. No space between you, you were so close you could feel his body heat, smell the shower gel he had used before — peppermint and pine. Your breath caught in your throat. <i>Why did you have to get so cuddly in your sleep in that particular night?</i></p><p> </p><p>With the blonde having his back to you, you had no idea whether he was still asleep or not. Slowly, cautiously beginning to pull yourself away, you felt his muscles stiffen, as if the movements alerted him.</p><p> </p><p>“Sorry,” you whispered, hoping he wouldn’t find you weird and disgusting for <i>cuddling</i> him.</p><p> </p><p>“You don’t need to move. You’re fine where you are,” Cloud said, voice clearer than your sleepy one.</p><p> </p><p>You stopped moving away. “You don’t mind?”</p><p> </p><p>“Doesn’t bother me.”</p><p> </p><p>Part of you wished you could see his face, gain a hint of how he felt, but at the same time you knew his poker face was a killer.</p><p> </p><p>You snuggled back into him, watching as his muscles relaxed with your touch. </p><p> </p><p>“How long have you been awake?” you asked, knowing that if the sun was this bright, it was probably almost time you needed to get up.</p><p> </p><p>“A while. Didn’t wanna wake you, so...”</p><p> </p><p>“Oh, I really am sorry. I’ll move if you want.” Your face flushed, and now you were glad he couldn’t see you. </p><p> </p><p>“No,” he replied. “You’re warm.”</p><p> </p><p>The fact that he hadn’t pushed you off to begin with was shocking enough, but the fact he seemed to <i>want</i> you to hold him had you stunned. Butterflies began to dance around your stomach, the closeness between you nearly unbearable, and your heart was beating so fast you felt like it could’ve fell out of your chest. </p><p> </p><p>“I’d say it’s the other way around,” you mumbled, trying to keep your cool.</p><p> </p><p>“Nope, definitely you,” his tone had a hint of teasing to it, something you were entirely unprepared for. </p><p> </p><p>You gave an embarrassed groan, burying your head into his back once more. Cloud exhaled through his nose, and you wondered if it was because he was smiling. A few moments of blissful silence passed. In those moments, you wondered if he’d ever do something like this with Aerith or Tifa. You’d always assumed he was closer with them — he had met them first, after all. Hell, he’d known Tifa since they were <i>kids.</i></p><p> </p><p>Even so, weren’t you and him just <i>friends?</i> You couldn’t say you’d ever done this with any of your other friends before, nor did they make you feel so tingly and <i>utterly smitten. Gosh, you were screwed.</i></p><p> </p><p>Cloud saying your name dragged you out of your thoughts. You hummed against him as if to ask him what was up. </p><p> </p><p>“Thanks for what you did,” he said, turning over to face you at last. He lacked a bedhead, any bags under his eyes, and his eyes still contained the same, beautiful shine they always had. You couldn’t help but begin to feel self-conscious about how you must’ve looked compared to him. You gave him a raised eyebrow in response to his words, to which he added, “Last night, I mean.”</p><p> </p><p>Even though he had turned over, you didn’t dare take your arms off him or untangle your legs. He didn’t seem to mind, though, staring deeply into your eyes as he awaited your response. You gave a small smile, looking down shyly.</p><p> </p><p>“You don’t need to thank me, Cloud. I’d do it again.” <i>In a heartbeat.</i></p><p> </p><p>He nodded, the slightest curve at the side of his lips. “Feels weird without the others here.”</p><p> </p><p>“Yeah. Quiet,” your voice had subconsciously softened, the nerves you had inside causing a slight shakiness to it. Every time you peered up at him, you got lost in the mako galaxies in his eyes. If you wanted to, you could’ve counted each and every one of his delicate eyelashes. You swallowed hard, the sound almost audible.</p><p> </p><p>“Nice to not have Barret screaming down my ear constantly,” he responded, his tone lowering to match yours.</p><p> </p><p>You released a quiet laugh, “Right. Definitely a lot more peaceful.”</p><p> </p><p>“It’s nice,” the blonde stated. In the corner of your eye, you saw his arm slowly creep from next to him, over his body until it stopped just above your waist, hovering there as if he was afraid to touch you. He played it off, too, pretending he had just moved it without thinking. “Could get used to it.”</p><p> </p><p>Your eyes flitted between his face and his arm. He didn’t move it even when he knew you were looking, though you could see the twitch in his fingers like he was ready to retract it immediately. Pressing your lips into a hard line, you moved the arm that was under him, sliding it down his muscly arm until your hand lay atop his. You heard the soft gasp he gave as his lips parted. Gazing up at him, you pressed his hand down until it was laying on your waist, giving him a light squeeze to tell him it was okay. His eyes struggled to stay focused on yours, that awkwardness inside him creeping up.</p><p> </p><p>His lips remained parted, and <i>wow,</i> you couldn’t take your eyes off them. <i>Shit, you wanted to kiss him so bad.</i> When he looked back at you, meeting your gaze, you could’ve sworn his eyes were half-lidded. The arm around your waist tightened, shifting you closer. In response, you let one of your hands rest against his chest, still peering up at him through your lashes. You weren’t even thinking when your tongue darted out to lick your lips, but when you did, Cloud’s head tilted towards you ever so slightly. <i>Wait, did he actually want to—</i></p><p> </p><p>“<i>Room service!</i>” a deep, familiar voice boomed outside of the door, seemingly heavy hands banging against it so hard the room shook.</p><p> </p><p>A look of horror crossed your face as you looked back at Cloud. Both of you jumped away from each other, the ex-SOLDIER getting off the bed entirely and coming to a stand. You could see the soft pink dusting over his cheeks, the realisation of what had almost just happened hitting him. You could only stare, wide-eyed, trying to ignore how hard your heart was smashing against your rib cage.</p><p> </p><p>“<i>Hello? Anyone home?</i>” the voice outside the door shouted once more, knocking even harder and trying the handle repeatedly, despite it being quite obviously locked.</p><p> </p><p>“I-isn’t that...” you tried to ask, stumbling on your words entirely.</p><p> </p><p>Cloud wouldn’t even meet your eyes, but he nodded, stepping towards the door. He was frowning, eyebrows furrowed as if he were annoyed, though you couldn’t tell why. The voice began to shout Cloud’s name, along with yours, and you couldn’t help but chuckle when Cloud huffed, clutching the door handle to stop the person on the other side pulling it.</p><p> </p><p>“Yeah, yeah, can you please shut up already?”</p><p> </p><p>Multiple voices began to speak outside, sounding ecstatic when they heard Cloud’s voice. The loudest one cheered, his booming voice surely waking anyone who was sleeping up. <i>Typical Barret.</i></p><p> </p><p>A nervous laugh left you, finding it far too humorous that Cloud had been saying how glad he was to <i>not</i> have to hear that voice just moments ago.</p><p> </p><p>“You totally jinxed it.”</p><p> </p><p>Cloud sighed.</p>
  </div></div>
</body>
</html>